Tom Ridge

Thomas J. Ridge (Tom Ridge) was the first Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). He headed DHS from January 2003 to February 2005. After leaving the post, he formed a Washington, DC consulting firm, Ridge Global.

He "is President and Chief Executive Officer of Ridge Global, LLC, Washington, D.C., a global strategic consulting company. He has held that position since July 2006. From April 2005 to July 2006, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Ridge LLC. From October 2001 to February 2005, Mr. Ridge was Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Prior to his service as Secretary of Homeland Security, he was Governor of Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2001. He is a director of Exelon Corporation and Vonage. A Hershey director since 2007, he is a member of the Governance Committee."


 * Director, Hershey
 * Trustee, Institute for Defense Analysis

Belated lobbyist registration
In June 2008, Ridge filed a lobbying disclosure form on his work for the government of Albania -- nearly two years late. Ridge signed a $480,000, one-year contract with Albania in September 2006, to help the country "develop an overall homeland defense strategy based on land, air and sea security." The contract identified Ridge as the "lead on strategic advice" for the Albanian government. Ridge's firm, Ridge Global, no longer works for Albania.

A spokesperson for the firm said Ridge didn't think he needed to disclose his Albania work. But the Justice Department, which maintains a database of lobbyists working with foreign entities, thought he did. The Department contacted Ridge's firm, "after a story about Ridge's work appeared in the press." According to a September 2006 Associated Press article, Ridge's "main priority" was "to help Albania meet its goal of joining NATO in 2008." Albania began accession talks with NATO in April 2008.

Background
"Prior to his current appointment, Secretary Ridge served as Assistant to the President for the Office of Homeland Security. Previously, he was a twice-elected Governor of Pennsylvania, serving from 1995 to 2001. In addition, he was elected to Congress in 1982 and was re-elected six times.

"After he received his law degree, Secretary Ridge was in private practice before becoming assistant district attorney in Erie County. He also served as an infantry staff sergeant in Vietnam, earning the Bronze Star for Valor. He is a graduate of Harvard University and received his J.D. from Dickinson School of Law."

Timeline

 * Ridge was born August 26, 1945, in Munhall, near Pittsburgh, but was raised in Erie, PA.
 * Cathedral Preparatory School; B.A. with honors (cum laude) Harvard University (1967); and Dickinson Law School.
 * Drafted while in second year at Dickinson (1968) [Note: another source says end of first year] and served in Viet Nam; Bronze Star for Valor.
 * Practices law with David Gifford (1972).
 * Erie County Public Defenders' Office (1973-1975).
 * Assistant District Attorney (1975-1976).
 * Runs George Herbert Walker Bush Presidential Campaign in Erie County, PA.
 * Returns to District Attorney's office (1980-1982).
 * Congressman 21st District (1982-1994).
 * Announces candidacy for Governor (1993).
 * Governor of Pennsylvania (1995-2001).
 * Office of Homeland Security (October 18, 2001).
 * Appointed to National Red Cross Governance Board by President George Walker Bush (April 17, 2003).

Other affiliations

 * Trustee, Center for the Study of the Presidency

SourceWatch resources

 * Albania
 * Department of Homeland Security
 * Department of Homeland Security appointments
 * Government-industry revolving door

Biographical notes

 * Tom Ridge, Governor, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, page archived from August 17, 2003.
 * "About Us: Tom Ridge", Homeland Security Cultural Bureau, page archived from February 2005.

General Articles

 * Jeffrey St. Clair and Alexander Cockburn, Tom Ridge in Vietnam. Tarnished Star, CounterPunch, October 1, 2001.
 * Security Chief Ridge: 'The Task is Enormous', NPR.org, October 8, 2001.
 * Angus Love, Who Is Tom Ridge?, Guerrilla News, October 18, 2001.
 * John W. Dean, Tom Ridge's Non-Testimonial Appearance Before Congress: Another Nixon-style Move By The Bush Administration, FindLaw's Legal Commentary, April 12, 2002.
 * Jim Lehrer, Newsmaker: Tom Ridge, "Online NewsHour", PBS, May 9, 2002.
 * Jessica Reaves, Person of the Week: Tom Ridge. Now for the hard part: After a week in which the Senate gave him a cabinet-level position, the Homeland Security chief is preparing to take on the toughest job in Washington, Time.com, November 22, 2002.
 * Ridge's journey to the national stage, The Rising Son; updated January 21, 2003. Locally produced biography of Tom Ridge.